Bottle stopper and method of making the same



R. WHITAKER, JR- BOTTLE STOPPER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.APPLICATION FILED AUG. 14, 1920.

1,434,725. Patented Nov. 7, 1922.

Fatented Nov. 7,

UNITED sra'res lAEdJZii PATENT creme.

RICHARD WHITAKER, JR., OF NEW BRUNSVJIK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO M'AIJU-FAGTULRERS IRON & STEEL COJVHEANY, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, A COR-PORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BOTTLE STOPPER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

Application filed August 14, 1920.

sex and titate of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Bottle Stoppers and Methods of Making the Same,

of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to bottle stoppers and method of making the same,and more particularly to bottle stoppers of the type in which a togglejoint is used in the manipulation of the stopper. 1

Bottle stoppers of the above type usually consist of a seal, composed ofsome resilient material such as rubber, which is used to close the mouthof the bottle, a base or body part carrying the seal, and a bailconnected with the toggle and on which the body part is looselysuspended. Heretofore, so far as known, the body part of the stopper hasbeen relatively expensive, weak, (with much consequent breakage,particularly at the point where it is connected with the bail) rough andnot readily galvanized, and the part or flange for holding the seal soformed that the seal often becomes detached therefrom. It is the objectof the present invention to eliminate the above enumerated disadvantagesand provide an improved bottle stopper. This object is accomplished bythe bottle stopper and the method of making the same hereinafterdescribed and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the completed improved bottlestopper and the various steps in the practice of the method by which itis made, Fig. 1 shows the blank; from which the body part of the stopperis formed; Figs. 2- and 3 are a side elevation and top plan respectivelyof the blank on the completion of the first operation; Figs. 4 and 5 area side elevation and top plan respectively on the completion of thesecond operation; Figs. 6 and 7 area side elevation and top planrespectively of the body part as completed at the end of the thirdoperation; and Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the completed stoppershowing the body part attached to the bail and with the resilient sealthereon.

Serial No. 403A95.

stopper is subjected to a series of operations by which it is converted.from the blank form shown in Fig. 1 to the finished form shown in Figs.6 and '7. This series of operations comprises the novel feature of themethod part of the invention. Theblank 10 shown inFig. 1, which is acylindrical piece of malleable metal, such as common rivet wire, isfirst subjected to a swaging or other operation by which the collar 11is formed thereon and one end thereof isshaped as a truncated cone, asshown at 12 in Fig. 2 The collar 11 and truncated cone 12 are preferablyformed simultaneously at one operation, although under some conditionsit is best to use two operations. These parts may also be formedsimultaneously with the cutting of the blank 10 to the proper length.The cone 12 is then slotted, as shown at 13 in Figs. 1 and 5 to serve asthe recess in which the bail is loosely received. On the completion ofthe first operation, which may be performed in a horizontal machine, theblanks may fall into a hopper and be conveyed to a saw for the cuttingof the slot. The slot 13 extends from the top of the cone 12 down to thecollar 11 and for this reason the part 12 is made pyramidal in form inorder that it may be of suflicient strength for its purpose. Byproviding a pyramidal or cone-shaped part for receiving the bail, itwill be observed that not only is it made very strong but also a rela'tively long surface is afforded against which the bail takes. By reasonof this construction the body part can only shift longitudinally on thebail. This is of advantage in inserting the seal in the mouth of thebottle. The next step in the operation is to close in the free ends ofthe two sides 1% and 15 of the cone 12, left by the cutting of the slot13, and to form on the shank 16 a flange 1'? for holding the resilientseal in place. The

flange 17 may be formed in a number of 1 bler and tumbled to removeburrs, and they are then galvanized. The relatively smooth surface ofthe malleable metal causes it to take the galvanizing readily. The bodypart of the stopper is now completed and is ready for use by insertingthe bail 19 of the bottle through the closed slot 13 as shown in Fig. 8,and forcing on the resilient seal 20.

The series of operations to which the cylindrical blank 10 is subjectedinconvertingit into the finished body part of the bottle stopper asshown. in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 isysiinple and of such nature that the bodypart of the stopper may be manufactured with great rapidity and atrelatively little cost. Inasmuchas the body part of the stopper iscomposed of a malleable metal it is necessarily much stronger than acasting and therefore can stand the stresses to which it issubjected, inuse with far less liability of breaki'n than is the case when it iscomposed. of a casting. Moreover, the spinning or swagingof the flange17 by which the resilient seal is held in place enables this part to beprovided. With sharp corners as shown at 21 in Figs. 6 and 8. It will berecognized that it is, diflicult toprovide sharp corners on a casting ofsuch size and form and c011- sequently, where the body part is formedfrom a piece of malleable metal and the flange for holding the.resilient seal is swaged orspun into shape, it is in such form as tomost efficiently hold the resilient seal in place. s

near 2'25 Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. Themethod of making the body part of a bottle stopper which comprisesswaging a cylindrical piece of malleable metal to pro vide thereon acollar and a bail receiving part, slottingthe bail receiving part,closing the open end thereof and forming on the opposite end of thepiece a flange for retaining the bottle seal.

2. The method of making the body part of a bottle stopper whichcomprises forming a cylindrical piece of malleable metal into a collar,a truncated-cone, slotting the cone, closing the open end thereot'toprovide a bail receiving part and forming on the other end of the piecea flange for retaining in position the seal of the bottle. I

3. As an article of manufacture, a body part for bottle stoppers formedfrom a oylindrical piece of malleable metal, swaged to comprise a collarand a bail receiving part, the bail receiving part having been slot-tedto accommodate the bail and its open end closed, and savaged or spun toprovide a seal retaining part.

41. As an article of manufacture, a body part. for bottle stoppersformed from a sin gle piece of malleable metal and operated upon bypressure to comprise a collar, .a bail receiving part and a sealretaining part, said bail receiving part beingprovided with an openingto receive the bail.

RICHARD "WHITAKER, JR.

